Microreactor-based synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer beads used for explosive detection

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) beads based on acrylate formulations; have been successfully synthesized in two different types of microreactors capable of generating spherical prepolymer droplets of controlled size in continuous segmented How processes. After poly merizing and caring the droplets monodisperse acrylate particles have been obtained. Particle sizes have been adjusted in a wide range from 10 to 140 pro by chousing appropriate flow rates of the continuous and the disperse phase. By adding trinitrotoluene (TNT) as a template and PEG its it coporogen to die disperse phase Mill beads with TNT-selective sites and a sufficiently high porosity have been synthesized, as required, for explosive detection techniques.